Cord-shortening device.



No. 746,178. PATENTED-DEO. 8, 1903.

J. H. SEAMAN. CORD SHORTENING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 28, 1902.

NO MODEL.

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UNITED STATEs Patented December 8, 1903.

JOHN H. SEAMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CORD-SHORTENING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 746,178, dated December8, 1903.

Application filed November 28,1902. Serial No. 133.106. (No model.)

and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Cord-Shortening Devices; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a cord-shortener or take-up for flexibleconnections or supports of any kind, and is shown more particularly inrelation with the cord for an electrical droplight.

The object of the invention is to provide a cheap, simple, and durabledevice readily operated and adapted to positively grip and hold the cordin adjusted position.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and morefully pointed out and defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of a device embodying myinvention, showing the cord in position therein. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of a slightly-modified construction. Fig. 3 is a front endelevation of either form.

As shown in said drawings, said shortening device embraces a shell A,constructed of wood, papier-mach, hard rubber, or other desiredmaterial, and which in the form shown is smaller at one end than at theother. The shell, as shown in Fig. 1, is of approximately uniformthickness. The length of the shell, as shown, is approximately equal tothe larger diameter; but it may be made of any desired length. Thediameter of the aperture in the smaller end is such as to cause the cordto jam therein, as shown in Fig. 1, when the bight is passedtherethrough, thus presenting frictional resistance to its withdrawal.In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 3 a bushing B, of soft rubberor other insulating material, is secured in the smaller end of theshell, provided with a comparatively small central aperture extendingtherethrough and through which the bight of the cord is passed inshortening the same. The large end of the shell is provided with aplurality of notches arranged around the same of such size as to a-iforda slight compression of the cord when" forced therein, as shown inFig. 1. The construction illustrated in Fig. 2 is provided with suchnotches at each end of the device, so that when the bight of the cord ispassed inwardly, as shown in Fig. 1, the outer ends of the, cord maybeforced into the notches at the large end of the device, while the loopor bight of the cord engages on opposite sides in the notches on thesmaller end, thus affording a positive engagement of the cord at apluralityof points on the device and affording very strong support.

The operation is obvious from the preceding statement. The bight of thecord being passed into the device at the large end and drawn through theaperture at the small end, the strain on the cord tends to draw the endsmore firmly into the notches at the large end and to cause the parts ofthe cord within the device to cross and jam each other in the aperture.The resistance is obviously increased should soft rubber or the like besecured in the small end of the shell. Obviously, if preferred, softrubber or other bushing may be used with the device, as illustrated inFig. 2, in which case the bushing is sprung into the end of the shelland the parts of the cord at each end of the shell jam in said notches,affording very positive support. The tapered shape of the device is suchas to afford most convenient manual engagement in adjusting the cordtherein, it being obvious that to adjust the cord all that is necessaryis to pass the bight through the shell and pull the device along thecord.

While I have shown and described a construction conical in form, it isobvious that the external conformation is unimportant except to affordmore convenient manual engagement therewith and also that materials anddimensions and other details of construction may be varied withoutdeparting from the principle of my invention.

1 claim as my invention 1. A cord-shortener comprising a shell having atapered aperture therethrough, a bushing at the smaller end of theaperture of ma terial adapted to afford frictional resistance.

2. A cord-shortener device comprising a shell having a tapered apertureextending therethrough, resilient means at the smaller end of theaperture adapted to grip the bightof a cord when passed therethrough,and a corrugated part on the shell acting also to grip the cord.

3. As an article of manufacture a cordshortening device comprisingatapered shell of approximately uniform thickness, a resilientinsulating bushing in the small end of the same acting to grip the bightof the cord when passed therethrough, and one or more notches in thelarge end of the shell adapted also to grip the cord when engaged in theshell.

4. An article of manufacture comprising a tapered shell of approximatelyuniform thickness, resilient gripping means in one end of the shell, theother end of the shell being shaped to grip a cord when the bightthereof is passed through the shell.

5. An article of manufacture comprising a shell of insulating materialthrough which the bight of a cord to be shortened is passed, resilientmeans in one end of the shell restricting the size of the aperture andacting to grip the bight of the cord and notches at the other to receivethe ends of the cord whereby strain at the ends of the cord serves tomore rigidly engage the cord in the shell.

6. An article of manufacture comprisinga tapered shell of insulatingmaterial, the ap erture therethrough being also tapered to correspondWith the taper of the shell, notches at each end of the shell of a sizeeach to engage a given size of cord, a bushing of soft rubber or thelike in the smaller end of the aperture which also serves as a liningfor the notches therein whereby when the bight of a cord is passedthrough said shell from the larger end strain on the ends of the cordserves to bind the cord rigidly in the shell by engagement thereof inthe notches.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN H. SEAMAN. \Vitnesses:

C. W. HILLS, A. O. ODELL.

